Elderly Health and Social Capital after the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquakes

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K10632
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 58080:Gerontological nursing and community health nursing-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare
• Principal Investigator: FUKUMOTO KUMIKO 九州看護福祉大学, 看護福祉学部, 教授 (40465787)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 茶屋道 拓哉 鹿児島国際大学, 福祉社会学部, 准教授 (10412785) ; 福田 久美子 九州看護福祉大学, 看護福祉学部, 助教 (70870872) ; 坂口 里美 九州看護福祉大学, 看護福祉学部, 助教 (50435161)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 熊本地震 / 健康 / ソーシャルキャピタル / 生活の再建

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We aimed to provide suggestions for the promotion of elderly health and social capital (SC) after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Qualitative survey revealed that SC based on personal connections within the community before the disaster was essential to save residents’ lives and reconstruct places for socialization, shrines, and other community spaces. Quantitative survey, which was conducted 5 and a half years after the disaster, revealed that SC was shown to be helpful for life restoration, but there were also negative tendencies related to it, whereas tendencies related to external support were positive. At the time of the study, some residents had yet to rebuild their lives after the disaster. It may be necessary to further discuss community health and SC, and explore measures to promote them, such as adopting a framework for people to expand volunteer and independent activities beyond communities, in addition to focusing on SC based on personal connections within each.

Free Research Field

公衆衛生看護

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、熊本地震から2年後(質研究)と5年半後(量研究)に健康とSCに関する調査を行った。この結果、生活の再建にとってSCの役割はプラスとマイナスの側面があったこと、地域外の支援がプラスに働く傾向があることなどが明らかになった。また、地域に存在している神社やお城、祭り等が復興のシンボルとなり、前向きな気持ちにさせ、新たなSCの醸成にとって必要な要素であることが示唆された。本研究は被災地の一部が対象であり、限界もある。しかしながら、今後の災害研究への新たな視点と追跡研究の必要性が求められた。災害復興過程で、SCのプラスの側面を強調するだけでなく負の側面も踏まえ、支援する必要性が示唆された。